Glimpses Into the Minds of Unfamiliar Stories - The Tom Riddle Era
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: A look into the minds of various characters during before the book series, during the Tom Riddle Era. No AU. Warnings inside.Written for a multitude of challenges.
1. The Making of a Dark Lord

PAIRING: None

TABLE: Table 7 - DARK

PROMPT: #1 - HATRED

RATING: G

SUMMARY: The reason Voldemort chose Harry and not Neville that fateful night.

NOTES: I envision this as happening in Tom's fourth year, before he starts his killings and making his Horcruxes. He hasn't met his grandfather or uncle yet, but he has researched his family in depth, so he knows what his grandfather is supposed to be like. I know the Vanishing spell was fifth year material in the books, but imagine that Dumbledore teaches at a faster pace – and he doesn't have the Triwizard Tournament to worry about!

"...and for my birthday, I got a Silver Arrow! Can you believe it - a Silver Arrow, the best and most expensive broom on the market, and it's mine!"

Tom Marvolo Riddle listened to Potter's boastful words with a jealous heart. Forced to sit in front of that fool by Dumbledore - he'd never trusted him after the incident in the orphanage - he tried to _Evenesco_ his kitten lackadaisically. His mind was on other things.

_Tom_ was the talented one, the powerful one, and yet fools like Charlus Potter were given doting pureblood families. He, on the other hand, was stuck a halfblood, born of a pathetic muggle father and and a weak excuse for a pureblood, mother. The only saving grace in his bloodline on his mother's side seemed to be Salazar Slytherin - all his descendants until Tom himself had been weak, self-important fools like his grandfather was reputed to be.

_Potter's_ parents, on the other hand, were not only alive where Tom's own were dead, but also extremely magically powerful. Potter got to return home to a mansion over the summers - his only choices were a drafty, empty castle, or a dull, depressing orphanage. As much as Hogwarts was home to him, he didn't want to spend time here over the summer, and wouldn't have done so if it weren't for the fact that it was the better of two evils.

_Potter_ had the aristocratic name to go with his background - he, the last descendant of the noble Slytherin was stuck with the most _common_ name possible - _Tom_.

Potter was popular and loved by students of all four houses, a Quiddtich star, touted to be the next rookie sensation once he left Hogwarts - all Tom had were the prospects of entry level jobs, and a few Slytherins bound to him by fear and a desire for power.

It was at that moment a decision was made which would change the future of the wizarding world. Tom Marvolo Riddle decided that if he couldn't be loved, he would be feared - and not only by insignificant teenagers, but by every person in the wizarding world. If he was stuck being a halfblood and saddled with a common name, he would make sure that no one knew of those two facts - and that those who did, would forget them. If he couldn't have a privileged, aristocratic upbringing like he should have had, he'd have a privileged, aristocratic adulthood instead - and the grandest one possible, too. If he had to bear the sight of fools like Potter being handed both power and respect right now, he would make sure that in the future, people would want _his_ respect. The wizarding world would tremble at his feet when he became the most powerful wizard ever to live.

And as for Charlus Potter - well, as a thank you for making him realise some important facts, Tom would make sure that the Potter family name which the boy was so proud of, would become nothing more than a forgotten footnote in history books.


	2. A Touch Of Poison

"Lycoris, darling?"

The dark-haired beauty looked away from her mirror. "Yes mother?"

"Your father has arranged for your marriage to Thuban Lestrange. We shall be going to Lestrange Manor tomorrow to meet with your future family. Please dress appropriately."

Lycoris fixed a fake smile onto her face. "Of course, Mother," she said with forced calm.

As soon as mother left the room, she let her mask drop, her expression turning murderous and full of rage. She knew this was what was expected of her – marriage to a pureblood man, regardless of the fact that he was ten years her senior. She was expected to accept it demurely.

But Lycoris Black would not go down so easily.

Two days later, Thuban Lestrange was found in his rooms, dead of heart failure.

Of course, her parents weren't going to give up easily. After she'd completed her mourning period for the death of her fiancé, Lycoris found herself betrothed to Theodore Nott.

This time, she waited. She's wasn't going to let herself be discovered by becoming careless.

Theodore Nott was found dead the morning before his wedding. Apparently, he had eaten something that didn't agree with him.

With a second dead fiancé, Lycoris knew that she was free. If there was one thing that pureblood men could be counted on believing, it was superstition. And Lycoris had just made sure that she developed a reputation of leaving dead fiancés behind her. No one wanted to marry her for fear of ending up the same way, and Lycoris was just fine with that.

Her parents had to arrange her marriage to look respectable in pureblood society. No one said she had to actually marry the men they decided upon.

No, other women might be content with sitting at home at giving birth to children, but that wasn't the life Lycoris intended for herself. She wasn't anything but the classic pureblood girl. She enjoyed her freedom, and she would make sure she had it.

And if she had to step on a few heads to ensure it – well, she was a Black after all. Calling herself the Black Widow wouldn't be _too_ much of a stretch.

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**The name for the Lestrange ancestor I've mentioned - Thuban - comes from a star in the constellation Draco. It is also the Arabic word for a large male snake, or a basilisk, which I thought was fitting.**

**Lycoris Black is the great-aunt of the Sirius Black we know through the books. She never married or had children - this is my interpretation of why.**

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_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, prompt 134. Chemical Reaction_

_All Canon Bootcamp, Prompt 35. Will you marry me?_

_Weasley-Potter-Prewitt Challenge, Audrey Weasley_

_Gemstone Competition, Bloodstone_

_Philosopher's Stone Competition, Through The Trapdoor_

_Professor Trelawney's Divination Competition, Rune Casting_

_Colours Competition, Purple (positive)_

_Greenhouses Competition, Rose (white)_

_Quidditch Categories Competition, Shooting Star_


	3. Yesterday

Yesterday, Myrtle Roberts had been just a normal, bullied girl at Hogwarts.

Yesterday, her life had had no meaning. Yesterday, she hadn't been able to see herself escaping from the constant torture Olive Hornby and her cronies put Myrtle through.

But today – today was different. Today Myrtle was _dead_.

And it had been Olive – mean, spiteful Olive – who'd found her body.

She deserved the fright she had gotten, seeing Myrtle's body just lying there, not moving, the ghostly form of the dead girl thought. It was her penance, for what she had put Myrtle through.

But she hadn't paid enough. She's tortured Myrtle for four years, and she wouldn't get away with just having to find Myrtle's body.

No, Myrtle would make sure she suffered every day of her life. After all, that was why she had stayed back on earth. Olive Hornby was her unfinished business.

Yesterday had been a normal day, where Myrtle Roberts was living her normal life.

But today was different.

Today, Myrtle Roberts was a _ghost_.

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_For:_

_The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 371. Dead_


	4. Gossip

**For Camp Potter (History - write about Druella Rosier); the 10 themes, 10 drabbles Challenge (wedding); the Out of Your Comfort Zone Competition (Druella Black and petty), the Globetrotter Drabble Competition (Rio de Janiero, Brazil) and the If You Dare Challenge (695. Fairy Dust)**

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The gardens of the manor were filled with couples whirling on the dance floor and the low of hum of talk and gossip that always accompanied any large celebration in their social circle.

It had been a beautiful wedding, and it also had the upside of not having one of the participants be obviously depressed at who they were about the tie their life to.

Druella Black watched the entire scene from the side-lines, a pleased smile on her face throughout the entire ceremony. It might have been petty, but she couldn't help the bolt of pleasure that shot through her when she remembered the chaos that had been caused at the Nott wedding when the bride decided to run away with a Mudblood halfway through her vows. Nothing of that sort would ever happen in her family.

Andromeda had had the sense to run away much before her wedding date, which saved them the further embarrassment of a humiliating scene at the wedding, and Narcissa and Bellatrix were the perfect children. It was obvious that in this wedding, both the bride and the groom were in complete harmony. There would be no gossip or snide whispers the society matrons would be able to pick up here. Narcissa and Lucius looked for all the world madly in love with each other, and everything was running like a well-oiled machine.

Druella allowed herself another moment of pride at her abilities before she walked back into the light, ready to hold court like the queen she was.

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**I hope you guys like this! Please don't forget to drop a review on your way out :)**


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